Strays and Storms
by WhiteRabbity
Summary: Skyus Fletcher's life changed for the worst when he was caught in an explosion triggered by the meltdown at Star Labs. Months after fleeing Central City, he's returned to figure out exactly what he's been turned into. Barry and the team must decide if he's a friend or a foe before the city pays the price.


**Hi everyone! Typical disclaimers; I don't own the Flash. If I did, this wouldn't be fanfiction, it would be canon. Hope you guys enjoy.**

Chapter One: Persona

Skyus's breath hung in the air as he waited by the side of the road, cars flashing by and Christmas lights blurring with traffic lights. All of Central City had this sort of hazy quality to it, like the sight of it was being viewed through glass. Snow was just beginning to fall.

Skyus shivered and wrapped his worn coat tighter around his shoulders. A few months previous, perhaps the jacket would have been adequate, but not in the dead of winter as it was. People breezed by, couples laughing quietly at some private joke, businessmen with phones glued to their ears. Even in the commotion of the season, this night seemed somehow subdued.

A bus pulled up, and Skyus boarded it, tossing his fare into the box and taking an empty seat. The window seat was occupied, but Skyus didn't speak to the other man and wordlessly sat down. He slung his backpack onto his lap, hands never stilling as he fumbled with various zippers and snaps.

After a moment, he froze and glanced over at the other man, worried that his restlessness was annoying him, but he seemed not to have noticed. The passenger stared at the book in his lap. _Evolution, _Skyus noted, catching a glance at the cover.

"What's up?" the man asked suddenly, removing one earbud and staring at Skyus curiously.

Skyus jumped slightly at the question, then shook his head, fidgeting with a clasp on the backpack. "Sorry."

The other man tilted his head, smile immediately on his face. "It's fine. I mean, not really an answer, but…"

"Um," Skyus shrugged one shoulder, not making eye contact, "just seeing what you're reading."

"Interested in this stuff?" he asked, tactfully ignoring when Skyus' hands tapped an erratic rhythm on the knapsack.

"Evolution? Uh, not really. A bit. I didn't study it past high school, but it was cool. Yep." Skyus fell quiet, slowing the flow of his words so that he would not ramble.

"Ha, nice," the man approved, grin not faltering as he held out his hand. "Cisco."

Skyus immediately stilled his hands but didn't shake with the other. "Skyus."

"So, Skyus," Cisco went on after a moment, letting his hand fall when it was clear Skyus wasn't going to shake, "you don't usually ride this bus, do you?"

Skyus shook his head, nervous tapping resuming. "Nah. New in town. I mean, I'm back. I was away for a while." _Shut up, Skyus, why're you even telling this guy? _"Moved after the explosion thing." _Ah yes, that's totally what I meant by __**shut up**__._

Cisco nodded, smile slipping a bit. "Oh, yeah. Star Labs. That was kind of a mess. Hey, I-"

At that moment, Cisco's phone rang, and he paused, fishing around in his coat pocket. "Sorry, just a sec." Then, he answered it. "Cisco. Oh, hey Caitlin." He glanced over at Skyus, but he'd turned away, listening to the stops as they were listed. Still, Cisco lowered his voice. "What's up? We've got a new metahuman?"

"We're not totally sure," Caitlin replied, voice filtering through the speaker clearly, "but it's possible. A few days after the meltdown, a triple murder was committed and our maybe-metahuman fled the city. We put him on a watchlist and caught a glimpse of him on several security cameras."

"Oh," he said after a moment, bright mood significantly dimmed at the prospect of yet another metahuman gone bad. _Why is that? Why's Barry practically the only good one? It's weird. _ "I'm headed over there right now anyway. This guy's got a name?"

"Yeah," Caitlin replied, "it's Skyus Fletcher."

Cisco's breath caught in his throat. "_What?_"

"Yeah, weird name, right?" There was a noise like rushing wind in the background. "Sorry, gotta go, Barry just got here. See you in a few."

"Wait, Caitlin-" he hissed frantically, but she had already hung up.

"…so," Cisco drew out the word, pocketing his phone and forcing a smile at the man beside him, "what brings you to Central City, Skyus?"


End file.
